Back To Search Results

Positive Penguins

Positive Penguins
Features

Price

$1.99

Age Range

Upper Primary

App Type

Learning App

Version Reviewed

2.0

Android Available?

Is Android Available

Lite Version Available?

Is a Lite Version Available

Help Provided?

Is Help Provided
Bloom's Thinking Process
CreatingBlooms Creating
EvaluatingBlooms Evaluating
AnalysingBlooms Analysing
ApplyingBlooms Applying
UnderstandingBlooms Understanding
RememberingBlooms Remembering
Adaptability
Includes recorded voice
Includes text
Includes images
Review Comments
Positive Penguins is a delightful app which asks children to reflect on their negative thoughts. This app was developed by a mother and her daughter.
 
Positive Penguins appears to be loosely based on cognitive therapy. The aim of cognitive therapy is to change the way the person thinks about the issue that is causing concern.
 
The strategies are very cleverly linked to a penguin personality.
 
1. Rate the thought/feeling on a sliding scale
2. A written and verbal explanation of feelings and negative thoughts are provided
3. The child chooses and dresses their penguin
4. The child writes what happened to make them feel like this (The event)
5. The child reflect on why the event makes them feel the emotion
6. Evi the detective penguin challenges children to consider the facts that support their thinking and the facts that don't support their thinking.
7. Ollie looks at the big picture. What other things are happening in the child's life to let them think that way?
8. Happ is the planner. He asks the child to look at what might happen if the feeling continues
9. Buddy is the friendly penguin. He asks how the child may speak to a friend with the same negative thought
 
Reminders can be set up to remind the child to reflect on their feelings. The device can remind the child once or twice a day or email notifications can be organised. There are lesson plans on the website.
 
This app requires fairly high language skills. The child needs to be able to type well enough to explain their thoughts. The child also needs to have enough insight to be able to reflect on their own thoughts and feelings. They also need to imagine a scenario when they counsel a friend with similar feelings.
Use Rank (*)
Thoughts and perspective Ranked 6th of 6
Top Apps for Occupational Therapists Ranked 3rd of 14

(*) This app has been ranked according to its' effectiveness to achieve the learning goals and strategies listed. Some apps may rank highly for achieving a specific use and lower for other uses. Some students will learn and engage with one app more than others, because of the individual nature of us all.

Learning App
Learning apps are designed for a specific purpose. The authors claim to teach a goal, skill or concept.
Bloom's Thinking Process
Bloom's Taxonomy is classification system used to explain the behaviours important in learning. Apps range from simple memory tasks such as flashcards apps through to creative apps which ask students to create an original story or video.
Bloom's Creating
The student creates new ideas, products or ways of viewing things. Activities include making, animating, designing, constructing, planning, producing and inventing.
Bloom's Evaluating
The student justifies a decision or course of action. Activities include counting to check, hypothesising, critiquing, experimenting and judging.
Bloom's Analysing
The student breaks the information into parts to explore understandings and relationships. Activities include explaining, ordering, inferring, comparing and organising.
Bloom's Applying
The student uses the information in a new situation. Activities include implementing, carrying out, using, illustrating, classifying and categorising.
Bloom's Understanding
The student comprehends the new information. Activities include describing, predicting showing understanding use a multiple choice.
Bloom's Remembering
The student recalls information they know. Activities include matching, 'fill in the blank', making a choice, answering using a multiple choice, naming a group.
Learning Connection
How well does the app teach the targeted skill or concept? This is the area where we refer to current research and pedagogy to evaluate the efficacy of the app.
Authenticity
Authenticity looks at the manner in which skills are learnt. Authentic apps use real life or genuine activities. Students learn in context rather than in a contrived or rote fashion (such as flashcards).
Feedback
Feedback needs to be specific and result in improved performance. Feedback should be supportive and encouraging rather than negative. Data should be available to support decision making.
Differentiation
Differentiation is the ability to customise the app to suit the student. The ability to record you voice, customise text, add pictures and alter settings enables individualisation of the app.
User Friendliness
User friendliness is a measure of how well a student can use the app independently. Some apps are simply intuitive to use. Others include audio or visual prompts which support the student.
Motivation
All apps are engaging the first time they are played. However, students with diverse learning needs may need to return to the app many times. Motivating apps offer rewards,games or incentives.
Thoughts and perspective
Top Apps for Occupational Therapists
This is a list of the Top Apps for Sensory Skills and Social Skills

Domain Score Details
Learning Connection 4
This app asks the child to reflect on their negative thoughts and understand them further. It doesn't directly offer strategies to fix the emotion, except by asking the student to consider the advice they would give to a friend in the same situation.
Authenticity 3
The child evaluates their feeling. They measure their feeling and critique the reasons for the feeling occurring.
Feedback 1
Feedback is not directly provided in the app as there are no right or wrong answers. However, the app has a very encouraging tone.
Differentiation 2
Sound can be turned on or off. Reminder notifications by email or app alert can be turned off.
User Friendliness 3
The child needs to be able to type to use this app.
Motivation 4
There is a brilliant game where the penguin throws snowballs to dunk the fish. The penguin theme is enchanting. This theme entices students to want to use this app. Many of my students just want to dunk the fish.
From the App Store
iTunes logo

Developer

HR INSIDE PTY LTD

App Store Rating

(from 22 reviews)

Current Version Rating

(from 22 reviews)

Current Version

2.0
App 1st Screenshot
App 2nd Screenshot
App 3rd Screenshot
App 4th Screenshot
App 5th Screenshot

Developer's Description
** PREVIOUS TOP 10 PAID EDUCATION and APP WINNER Apps For All Challenge 2014 **

Positive Penguins app is a resilience-building app for all children.

The app has a simple 5-minute guided meditation for children to learn to sit, relax and let go of the thoughts as they come into their heads.

There is also a strategy for children to understand that an event or situation happened that created an emotion in them - this emotion is not right or wrong, rather information – once they understand this and can examine the thoughts or stories they are telling themselves about situations they can then challenge the stories they tell themselves and help problem solve situations.

We may not choose our initial emotional response to an event, but we do choose the thoughts and stories we tell ourselves and we do choose our behaviour. The app is designed to help children understand why they feel a certain feeling and behave in productive way.

The app has full sound and also text and ability to record responses rather than type if preferred.

There is a game mode just for some fun.

This resilience strategy is based on the idea that negative thoughts or the negative stories we tell ourselves are not wrong - but sometimes they are not true. Kids need to learn to catch the negative thinking that is stressful, challenge the thinking and if needed change their thinking to be more optimistic and less anxious.

This strategy is great for adults too.

The four positive penguins take you on an interactive journey to help you understand that feelings arise from your thinking and if you challenge your negative thoughts successfully you may be able to see things in a more realistic and even optimistic way.

See Positive Penguins on Facebook or our website for further information and resources

Disclaimer: The evaluations and rankings information provided here are based solely on the opinion of the author and are for informational purposes only. Families should seek professional advice before making decisions regarding interventions for their child.